Robotics for Plastics Manufacturing Tutorial

RIA 2/14/08

Robotics for Plastics Manufacturing Tutorial

Robotics Industries AssociationFebruary 2008

RIA 2/14/08

Presentation Overview

• Robotic Misconceptions• “When” To Incorporate Robotics • Robotic Plastics Opportunity• Robotics for Plastics: Features & Benefits• Application Examples• Getting Started: How to Develop an RFQ• List of Vendors and Additional Resources

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Robotic Misconceptions

• If you’re trying to improve your plastics process, don’t be misled by these old misconceptions about robot reliability, complexity and costs. – Robotics technology is complex– Robotics requires higher skilled operators and support personnel– Robotic solutions are unreliable– Robotic solutions are expensive

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“When” to Use Robotics

• Operator Ergonomics & Safety Concerns• Reduce Labor Costs• Increase Throughput • Improve Product/Process Quality & Consistency• Part/Product Requires Secondary Operations• Complex Parts

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Robotic Plastics Opportunity

• Properly integrated, today’s reliable robots offer tremendous opportunities for meeting the challenges of today’s plastics manufacturing.

• In addition, companies are commanding stringent operational conditions for 24/7 operations while still necessitating high reliability, low maintenance, flexibility and quick changeover between products.

• Robotic solutions are now competitively priced commodity products yielding superior performance, reliability and versatility.

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• Robotics have been successfully implemented for many areas of plastics manufacturing including: – Part insertion/extraction– Degating– Trimming– Cutting– Secondary Part Operations

• Gate cutting• Insertion of clips (metal or plastic)• Loading of inserts• Quality control checks

– Post Secondary Operations• Assembly• Part Making• Inspection• Packing• Palletizing

Robotic Plastics Opportunity

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Robotics Plastics Opportunity

• Key process and quality benefits of robotics over traditional manufacturing automation include:– Process flexibility– Large spherical working envelope – High speed precise motion – Ability to work between (2) presses simultaneously– Optimum Part Handling– Minimize Damage To Product – Minimize Failure Opportunities– Minimize Operator Intervention– Minimal Product or Part Change Over

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• Key operational benefits of robotics over traditional manufacturing automation include:– Higher Reliability– Greater Flexibility & Versatility– Quicker Changeover– Lower Maintenance– Minimum Footprint Solutions– Greater Control & Software Capabilities– Common Technology Solution Across Plant Applications– Ease for Upgrade or Redeployment– Environment Compatibility– Added value to the process with Secondary Operations – Greater Throughput– Minimize Risk

Robotics Plastics Opportunity

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Robotic Plastics: Features & Benefits

• Higher Reliability– Robots (including controller) prove well over 70,000

MTBF [Mean Time Between Failure]. – Addition of automatic tool changer eliminates operator

removal, handling, storing and assembly of tooling.– Utilizing articulated robots (i.e. 6-axis) for optimum

product handling, processing and work envelope.

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• Greater Flexibility & Versatility– Robotics can be configured to optimize the

automation and manufacturing process. – Examples of Robot Flexibility & Versatility

• Optimum footprint and orientation• Ability to access more than one machine/process• Flexible to Handle More Than Just “Part”• Perform secondary operations

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• Quicker Changeover– Product changeover can be minimized or even

eliminated with the use of Tool Changers.– Automatic tool changers are available for all ranges of

robots and payloads.– Six axis robot provides the ultimate flexibility for

changing between parts with 6-degree’s of freedom programming.

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• Maintenance– When using the robot to simplify the system design

and operation, the total number of electrical and mechanical components to maintain/repair in the system can be significantly reduced.

– Robots are virtually maintenance free requiring only greasing every 6 months to 3 years and changing of batteries annually.

– Tool Changers increase reliability by eliminating operator intervention of the tool, system and changeover procedure.

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• Greater Layout Flexibility– Robots provide for design freedom to configure a

system to optimize space and operations.

Strength: Upward Reach Strength: Downward Reach

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• Greater Layout Flexibility– Articulated robots provide the ability to mount in

several orientations.

ShelfFloor Inverted/Ceiling

Wall

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• Greater Layout Flexibility – On Machine: Operator Side


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• Greater Layout Flexibility – On Machine: Non-Operator Side


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• Greater Layout Flexibility – On Floor: Non-Operator Side


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• Greater Layout Flexibility – Special Positions: Inverted


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• Greater Layout Flexibility – Special Positions: Shelf


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• Greater Layout Flexibility – Special Positions: Rail/Gantry


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• Greater Layout Flexibility– Robots can move freely in multiple directions. When

working with complex parts, the articulated robot can rotate freely in multiple orientations.

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• Greater Layout Flexibility– Robots can demold parts either with force (forced

removal from negative mold) or delicately (demolding from core).

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• Greater Layout Flexibility– Robots are sealed and contain internally-located

guide mechanisms and cables making it better suited for clean room applications

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• Control & Software– Robots control is highly advanced taking advantage of the latest in

safety, communication, HMI, web interface, simulation, on-line documentation, integrated vision/intelligent sensors and application specific software.

– Robots controllers can be used to control the entire plastics solution including I/O, HMI’s and additional servo devices such as collators and metering conveyors.

– “Collision” Guard Software Protects Robot, Tooling and Product.– “Soft Float” Software allows X-Y “Float” for holding part during the

injection process.– Remote connectivity provides remote support capability.

• Common Technology Solution Across Plant Applications – Same robot/controller or robot family can be used for other

manufacturing, packaging and palletizing within the plant operation.

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• Ease for Upgrade or Redeployment– Upgrading for new products/processes is minimized.

Typically, changes are limited to robot tooling and programming.

– Robots can be redeployed for new applications if product/processes become obsolete or are moved to another facility.

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• Environmental Compatibility– Robots are proven for most any application and

environment.• Clean Room• Cold • Wet• Dusty• Heavy • Hot• Noisy

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Getting Started: Developing an RFQ

• Plastics automation analysis requires a detailed functional requirement analysis to develop an RFQ [Request for Quotation].

• It is critical that all products, product presentations, throughput rates, plant layouts and process details be included in the RFQ.

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Getting Started: Developing an RFQ

• RFQ Considerations– What is your process?

• Machine unload• Insert loading and machine unloading

– What is size/tonnage of your IMM?• Top or Side access?• Can robot be machine mounted, or is separate frame required ?

– What secondary processes may need to be performed?• Deflashing, Degating, Assembly, Box/Tray loading or Vision Inspection

– What is size weight?– Does part have class A Surface?– Machine Access/Clearance?

• What is floor space access around machine ?• What overhead clearance exists above machine ?

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Application Examples

• High Speed Loading/Unloading of IMM– Reduced mold open times and higher productivity.– Increased robot accuracy and inherent rigidity means

unparalleled speed and reliability.– New slimmer robot forearm minimizes mold open time.– Typical die interrupt times of just 0.59 seconds can be

consistently achieved.

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• Insert Loading of Vertical Molding Machines– Accurate parts placement into molds. – Reduced cycle times over manual part handling solutions.– Supports single and multi-cavity mold configurations.– Inline inspection can be integrated for improved quality.– Integration of Flexible Feeding allows for fast change over times.

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• Two Shot Molding– Easily transfer and manipulate finished parts for secondary

molding and over-molding tasks.– Robots offer zero settling time when transferring parts from one

mold chamber to another.

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• In Mold Decoration & Labeling– Labels for in mold decoration can be positioned accurately inside

the molds with a repeatability of ± 0.02 mm.– Specially designed double sided gripping mechanisms on the

robot arm can be used for multiple label placement. – Molds featuring 4 or even 8 cavities can be filled, each with a

different decorative label if required.

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• Insert Loading– Any shape, size and quantity of insert can readily be loaded into

the mold by robots. – Six-axis articulation provides precision placement and minimum

mold opening time.– Examples of products utilizing Inserts:

• Medical Devices• Health/Pharma packaging/containers• Electrical components• Automotive components• Consumer products

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• Top Loading – Multiple Machine Access– Top loading rail mount robots with 6-degrees of freedom motion

provide highly flexible loading and unloading of parts.– Use of robot to access more than one operation optimizes the

automation investment.

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• Product Assembly-Inspection-Testing– Robotic assembly can be done as a secondary operation

eliminating downstream operations.– Provides increased quality and accuracy of complex assemblies

by constant handling instead of dropping parts into bins.– Improved traceability and data logging of batch/lot processing.– Inspection/Testing operations performed using vision for part

identification, inspection, quality control, and process gauging.

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• Plastics Deburring– Robotic deburring and trimming is a highly reliable means for

finishing plastic products as either a secondary or completely separate process.

– Robotics guarantees repeatable operations for more consitstent and higher quality part finishes.

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• Robotic Deburring– Secondary operation to remove burrs created during the

extruding process. – Eliminates ergonomic and safety issues– Provides consistent part finishing– Incorporation of force feedback devices mitigates robotic

inaccuracies and end-effector vibration.

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• Controlled Environment Molding– Cleanroom rated robots are suitable for operation in Cleanroom

and low contamination molding environments in the medical, pharmaceutical, optical and electronics industries.

– Cleanroom robots ensure extremely reliable and precise handling of the parts as well as a high level of cleanliness.

– Robots can perform flawlessly and eliminate particulate contamination within the chamber.

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• Multiple Operations at the Press– Secondary processing of parts can be performed during the

molding cycle including;• Degating• Deburring• Gluing• Sealing• Trimming• Polishing• Part Marking• Inspection• Assembly

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• Post Molding Secondary Processes - Assembly– Robotic assembly provides cost effective method for part/product

requiring value-added processes.– Robotic assembly provides high-yield assembly process with

integrated inspection.– Ideal for products requiring process traceability such as medical

and automotive parts.

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• Product Sorting & Collating– Loading / Unloading of dispensing trays – Part sorting and collating for nesting operations– Part stacking and sorting of quality and sub standard parts– Concurrent and simultaneous operations – Part case packing and palletizing– Multiple part handling for increased efficiencies

Documents

Robotics for Plastics Manufacturing Tutorial